Choki's Initiatives Work to Sustain Ancient Cultures

Denver, Colorado, August 24, 2015 (Newswire.com) - ​​Choki.org​

By working to preserve the crafts and arts of antiquity, the nonprofit, Choki, sustains ancient art forms for generations to come. To do this, Choki takes previously hidden art forms and showcases them to the world.

Choki currently has three initiatives that are based in Bhutan: sustaining the Choki Traditional School, supporting Choki’s Women’s Cooperative, and  constructing classrooms for the Nalanda Monastery.  Each initiative is designed to raise awareness and support for institutions that each maintain aspects of Bhutanese traditional arts:

The Choki Traditional School - In the face of the constant growth and change occurring in Bhutan, the Choki Traditional Art School(CTAS), which also doubles as an orphanage, stands as organization that provides a pathway for new generations to learn the ancient Bhutanese crafts and arts.

The arts taught at CTAS have a long history and are often greatly influenced by Tibetan Buddhist tradition and philosophy. Two such examples are the arts of Thangka ( scroll painting) and Pantra ( wood carving), both of which are offered at CTAS.

In addition to the ancient arts, students are taught to utilize modern tools and techniques for art design. The school offers courses in Basic Computer Application and Graphic Design and teaches students how to use Bernina sewing machines.

Choki seeks to give these arts  a larger audience by displaying them on  exhibitions, gathering donations and selling art pieces. The money gained through these efforts go towards assisting students with lodgings and classes so that they continue on their path of realizing their dreams.

Choki’s Women Co-Op -The art of weaving fabric on a backstrap is an ancient art that has been practiced in various regions for thousands of years. Despite the simple design of the loom, the fabric made on it often has beautiful patterns and contain intricate brocades. In some cases, the fabrics are so complex as to take six months for a single weaver to complete. The techniques for designing and making the looms, fabrics and dyes for the art is handed down from generation to generation.

The Women’s Cooperative founded by Choki has dedicated itself to both maintaining this generational bond while providing weavers with the ability to create sustainable income through the selling of hand woven scarves.

Textiles form a major part of Bhutan’s industry. All income made from the selling of these scarves goes back to weavers who use the proceeds to procure a higher standard of living.   

The Nalanda Monastery - Like its original namesake of India, the Nalanda Monastery of Bhutan educates young monks in the philosophy and ritual of Buddhism.

Because many monks come to the monastery from impoverished backgrounds, the support from the community and the work of Choki is vital. Currently, Choki is helping the effort to build a classroom for the monastery.

All of Choki’s efforts are made possible through the donations of kind individuals and the purchasing of Bhutan’s traditional arts.

Visit Choki’s Website (Choki.org) to find out more about donating. Choki’s Etsy store is also welcoming of people seeking to buy the crafts of from any of its initiatives.     

Additional Links - 

Choki's Etsy Page - http://www.etsy.com/shop/ChokiArt

Choki's Facebook Page - http://www.facebook.com/chokiart